Dan Lanning took the helm as Our Beloved Ducks’ new head football coach this offseason. In just a couple of months, we are going to see if he’s able to right the ship, and hopefully, keep us on the ascension ark that Mario Cristobal developed in years past. I fully believe one edge the Ducks have in 2022 will be the tone-setter in what we can expect of the team as a whole, and can be a return to the ways of old. I’m talking about Feeding on Speed again. I was talking with Mr. FishDuck, and pulled him off his favorite gaming site, BetPokies.com and he agreed with my thoughts.
Boy would we love to see De’Anthony Thomas and Byron Marshall behind Marcus Mariota again.
Explosive Offense in Space
No, this isn’t just having De’Anthony Thomas running back kick returns, or Marcus Mariota taking off for a 50-yard run. I’m talking about utilizing our incredible playmakers in space, and giving any team in the country fits when they’re trying to play contain. I can see our offense evolving with Bo Nix and Kenny Dillingham that slowly builds up the deep game. We have the talent at receiver, we saw it at the end of the season last year when we fell hopelessly behind in the Alamo Bowl. Anthony Brown and company (FINALLY) started taking the top off the defense. Early on in 2022, expect to see one of Oregon’s next rising stars, a player that I believe will meet and exceed the Travis Dye benchmark from the past few seasons.
Seven McGee, Seven McGee, Seven McGee!
Was everyone able to see Seven McGee explode onto the scene in the spring game this year? Good, because that’s what you should expect for this entire season. I absolutely LOVED the way Lanning and the offense was able to utilize his skillset. With Byron Cardwell splitting his role as well, I expect to see a beautiful tandem flourish. If McGee can develop into a passing threat tailback with highly versatile skills (a Thomas Tyner, Byron Marshall prototype), we should see a confident Duck offense erupt onto the scene in 2022.
What do you think? Who is this season’s offensive rising star? Do you expect Nix to develop more as a passer early on, or will we see McGee, Cardwell, and co. break open the backfield explosion?
REMINDER: Celebrate today with family! Enjoy this Memorial Day with people you love, and if you can’t see them in person, I urge you to give your friends and family a call. It’s a special day for our troops and our country in this trying time. Thanks for being a part of this community, all!
Alex Heining
Los Angeles, California
Top Photo By: Gary Breedlove
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Alex Heining is an Oregon alumni from the graduate class of 2021. After studying sports business and media studies, he has moved into the field of digital marketing as a copywriter and content manager in the Los Angeles area. Still, he loves his Ducks and goes to local high school games all over the Los Angeles and Orange County area to check out new recruits of the future (and a SoFi game or two with the pros). On any given Saturday, expect to find him doing martial arts, playing the guitar, or screaming at the tv over a missed holding penalty.